#rmit2018

The Ask Me Anything assessment is almost at a close, with everyone putting the finishing touches on their work. Because I have already made the covers of my book, all I have left to do is finalise the inside of the book and stick it all together.

When designing the inside of the book, there were a few things that I found difficult, frustrating and annoying. My first vision for this was to have opaque, grey lines that swirled in the background as a way of tying all the pages together and giving it a light feel. I also had a script font that I wanted to use to contrast with the serif font in the main body text. However, I found the graphic detail in the background distracted from the main purpose of this project - which is to inform the reader about the interviewee and convey that person’s personality. I also found that the script font was a bit too much and was hard to read.

So, I tried out a more simple version, eliminating the background graphics and keeping the font consistent. While playing around with fonts, it is easy to get carried away; there is a ridiculous amount out there and I always find it hard to choose one that works. In this case, I found two that I really liked - Essones and Courier/Courier New. Essones is a serif font that conveys sophistication and professionalism. Courier is a serif font that mimic the letters found when using a typewriter. I like Courier because it gave it a ‘work in progress’ feel that relates to the process of graphic designers. However, I felt like it didn’t match with the front covers I made and the personality of my interviewee. So, I chose to go with Essones because it was feminine and professional. I also liked the way it complimented the script font I used for her name.

“Pangrams”

22.03.18

FINISHED!

Finally, I have finished the ‘Ask Me Anything’ assignment and I am so proud of the outcome. Although I faced a few problems and it was a struggle to get it finished, I’m happy to say I’ve submitted it and I was able to achieve exactly what I envisioned at the beginning. It is so cool to see something that was once an idea in your head become a reality. 

I tried printing out my design today, just to see how the colours and the layout would work. Although, it printed on A4 instead of A3 so I got to make a miniature version. I went into Dinkums to try and work out the logistics of printing this thing. What I wanted to do was print in colour, double-sided on an A0 size sheet that was at least 300gsm. I found out that that is quite impossible to do, and even if I could do it, I would have to sell my laptop to pay for it. So, I evaluated my options and decided to print my design on multiple A4 sheets and glue the sheets together. I wanted to print it on one sheet so that the pages all connected nicely, but I’ve settled for the next best thing.

I got out a bunch of A4 paper and started working out what page goes where so I am able to set up an indesign document that would work. I managed to get that done and put it all together. I went on a little trip to ye olde Officeworks and printed a prototype. I printed in colour on 300gsm paper and used an acid free glue to stick the pages together. The lady at Spotlight told me it was good for book binding. It worked out a lot better than I had hoped. The only problem with the glue is that I have to work quickly as it dries fast and becomes tacky within seconds, so I need to make sure the paper lines up perfectly. Another problem is that because I have to fold the pages myself, there are obvious crease marks in the middle of the paper, however, I actually quite like that - it adds texture and makes it a bit more interesting. The thickness of the paper worked very well and will support the weight of the covers nicely. I like how the black and white photos contrast with the colour blocks behind the text. I put the prototype inside the covers just to see what it would look like and I’ve got to say I love it!